Former NFL Players Speak Out in Defense of Danny Trevathan: That WAS NOT a Dirty Hit on Davante Adams!

So you think, like many others, that Chicago Bears Linebacker Danny Trevathan should be suspended for his Monday night hit on Packers wide receiver Davante Adams? Well, that is just because you never played the game before at such a high level. Former NFL players, including an All-Pro linebacker and a Hall of Fame defensive end, are coming to the defense of the Bears LB and do not think he should be disciplined.

One of the first to openly share his opinions was former Tennessee Titans running back LenDale White on his Twitter account. His first tweet read “That hit was legal to me, Period. Take how you like. Playing football u taught to go 100% as a defender he did what he’s taught.” He followed with “The man didn’t try to hit him n the head like that. It jus happened! A lot of y’all that never played will never understand.” White followed by saying how unfortunate the hit was but added that football is “all reaction” and he did not think the hit was on purpose.

White’s former Tennessee teammate, Keith Bulluck, who was a three-time All-Pro, echoed White’s sentiments on his own account after openly supporting White’s tweets. “A lot of people who don’t truly understand the violence of football get paid to comment on things that happen naturally during a game.” When someone else pointed out that Tony Romo was critical of the hit on the game broadcast, Bulluck tweeted “Ain’t nobody listening to Romo.” He then later added that it was a “violent football play” and that any LB would have done the same. He also tweeted that those who haven’t played the game cannot fully understand the violence and “Romo understands that’s why his ass is in the booth.”

NFL Hall of Fame defensive end Chris Doleman, one of the most prolific defensive playmakers of all time for the Vikings, Falcons and 49ers, stood in the same line of defending Trevathan and took much of the same stances as Bulluck when contacted by SportsGrid for his viewpoints. “It was a clean hit, the runner didn’t give himself up, he was fighting for more yards. This is a violent game with big and strong men. I don’t see it as an illegal hit anywhere. It’s just one of those things. I don’t think he should be suspended. The officials need to own some of this too.” Doleman added that “you can’t stop the momentum” when trying to make such a play that was not finished in the eyes of the defender. As for the criticism on the helmet to helmet hit, he said “You can’t hit someone with your shoulder without your helmet touching them.”

So do you think Trevathan should be suspended because the hit looked “dirty” to you from your couch or barstool? Well, this isn’t like playing Madden. Insider voices say you may be wrong. It’s just the nature of the game.

That hit was legal to me. Period. Take how u like. Playing football u taught to go 100% as a defender he did what he’s taught